Organizational factors and office workers' health after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks: long-term physical symptoms, psychological distress, and work productivity.

Abstract

To assess if organizational factors are predictors of workers' health and productivity after the World Trade Center attacks. We conducted a survey of 750 workers and compared those who had direct exposures to the World Trade Center attacks (south of Canal Street workers; primary victims) with those less directly exposed (north of Canal Street workers; other victims and non-victims). South of Canal Street workers reported headache more frequently than north of Canal Street workers did (P = 0.0202). Primary victims reported headache and cough more frequently than did other victims and non-victims (P = 0.0086 and 0.0043, respectively). Defensive organizational culture was an independent predictor of cough and job stress, and job stress was an independent predictor of on-the-job productivity losses. Organizational variables may modify health and productivity outcomes after a large-scale traumatic event in the workplace.